New to Travel Nursing....Need Help!!

NedRN · Sep 23, 2014

PanTravelers had a nifty board list to quickly determine licensure costs but more importantly, time. Recruiters should have the info about specific assignments.

One of the best ways to educate yourself and really learn about different features and benefits of travel is to talk to lots of agencies and recruiters. Pay attention to which ones you communicate well with and put them on your short list.

Just as an FYI Supplemental usually doesn't provide housing. You probably don't want the hassle of finding housing on your first assignment that will take your dogs.

foggnm · Sep 28, 2014

I worked for Supplemental last winter and overall had a positive experience. The only negative was on my second assignment, I broke my contract. They didn't pay me for 50 hours of work and stated the hospital fined them. However, my contract didn't have a penalty clause and I had emails from my recruiter stating I could break my contract (quit) at anytime. It wasn't worth my time or effort to argue the case with them and I had other jobs lined up. One other negative was the 'housing' department did ZERO to find me a place. About 5 days before I drove out to California they emailed me a single hotel I could stay at for $2000/month. Not an apartment....a crappy hotel!!!! Because of their poor efforts I ended up leaving my dogs at home (under someone else's care). So their housing department was a real let down, finding nothing and not returning multiple phone calls.

Honestly, I was signed up for 3 different agencies and for the most part the pay for different jobs was always similar. Here are my take-aways from a very short career in traveling:

1. Unless you currently work in someplace where RNs make less than $35/hr, then the money is never going to good and never 'great'

2. In high paying markets like CA, you'd make much more money as a staff or per diem nurse then as a traveler

3. They overstate their benefits. They minimally co-pay health insurance (you might save $50-100/month), there is no paid leave, no sick days, and a very minimal 401k.

4. You get screwed with working extra (I got an extra $225 for a shift in California). I'd make about $600 in an overtime shift at home.

5. All recruiters say they pay great, but really it never turns out that way. If you consider your extra expenses with travel (higher rents, more transportation costs, income tax from another state) while still paying your 'home' bills, you will never be paid very well.

6. In my experience, they don't negotiate much.

The only way I could see someone doing well with travel is if you have zero bills at home (no rent, mortgage, etc). Also, while the travel companies say they can find pet friendly housing, it definitely complicates matters and may cost you more. But if you make $28/hr in some rural midwest hosptial, then yes travel pay will seem great!

My suggestion to you, since you have charge experience is to expand your clinical experience at least to tele/step down. There are always more jobs in areas of higher acuity (ICU, OR, ED, etc). But that's not to say there's not med-surg opportunities out there.

Ultimately my take away from travel is that I had increased expenses with less freedom. That's right, less freedom. At home, I'd likely be able to set my own schedule, I wouldn't work any nights, I'd have paid holidays/vacation. Not so with travel (in my experience). Despite all that, I can say the place I worked in CA was wonderful and I enjoyed it. They called me recently to ask if I'd like a 3 month ICU day contract. I was thinking of taking it....but my take home pay (with housing) was exactly what I make at home (in Albuquerque, NM). So I would have made the same amount of money but had to pay for an apartment and some other expenses. No thanks! Fortunately, I know work in a national healthcare system, so I can 'travel' without having to put up with travel company BS!

icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN · Sep 28, 2014

There are 52 reviews of Supplemental on travelnursingcentral.com for your reading enjoyment. I have signed up with them but I will never use them for all of the reasons previously stated. They do not offer the option of housing or stipend. Their own recruiter told me the jobs on their website do not exist and pressured me to go to Illinois. I passed. Do not give them your phone number. It was years ago and they are still calling.

1SassyRN · Mar 18, 2015

Thanks for all you advice. I haven't left my current position at this current time but i'm seriously still thinking about leaving. I was unable to focus on anything else the past couple of months due to my father and mother both getting sick back to back. But now that they are both doing so much better and my siblings have promised to step up I can now resume my plans to leave Ohio. Im still trying to figure out what company I want to go with.

Argo · Mar 19, 2015

I ended up going with American Mobile. They are big, have lots of contracts and I have found they take the business serious as do I. they pay me my hours worked, even if the hospital forgets to send them in they take my verbal hours and pay me. The money is not bad. I was making $45/hr as staff and am making the a bit more take home as a traveler working in a market that traditionally pays less than where I "live" and worked prior. My specialty probably pays more overall too though so take that with a grain of salt....

I get along well with my recruiter and she is very responsive. She has taken care of everything I have asked her to and was negotiable during contracting. If you happen to want her info just msg me. I may or may not continue traveling(vs a staff job where I plan to move next) but if I do I will stay with AMN.....